New Live data reporting

MGE installed a vertical axis wind machine in late fall 2008 in Fitchburg's McKee Park to study whether this technology holds promise for electricity generation in our urban area.  A new technology for Wisconsin, this urban wind turbine technology has seen more than 25 years of operation in Europe and other continents.

The 3 feet wide by 12 feet tall, 10-kW urbine turbine is installed atop a 30-foot pole. The unit starts producing energy at a wind speed of 4 mph and makes full power at 35 mph.

Turbine features:

• Quiet operation
• Vanes do not gather snow or ice while rotating
• Wildlife see it; are less likely to fly into it
• Manufactured in Finland by Oy Windside Production Ltd.
• Costs about $40,000

Over the next several years, MGE will monitor the urban turbine's wind production and report our findings on this Web page.